Can You Get a Hangover From Consuming Too Much Marijuana?

Everyone knows that marijuana is mostly harmless -- but that doesn't mean that it doesn't have any side effects. A marijuana hangover, or pot hangover, is absolutely a thing, though you have to over consume to a fairly significant measure to achieve one.

Marijuana hangovers have often been treated as speculation. As Whaxy points out, there have only been two studies regarding it, despite mountains of anecdotal evidence. Many people have smoked quite a bit in their life but still haven't experienced a marijuana hangover. Though weed hangovers are definitely real, there does seem to be a specific sequence of events that one has to go through to actually experience it.

A marijuana hangover occurs due to excess THC in an individual's system, combined with the potential for dehydration the previous night. Weed hangovers will feel very similar to alcohol hangovers. Your head may pound, you may feel groggy, and you may even be nauseated. When you open your eyes, you may also experience vertigo: the room will feel as though it's spinning.

For a variety of reasons, pot hangovers are far more common when consuming edibles. It's rather difficult to smoke enough to cause an overdose, but edibles deliver more THC to a system, last longer, and -- most importantly -- take a long time to take effect. Many people end up eating far too much THC the first time they consume an edible, and this can lead to the dreaded hangover. This is also why many people smoke quite a bit but never experience it.

The recent proliferation of high THC concentrates has also made it easier to go a little overboard, but there's a limiting effect: concentrates make you high fast enough that you usually know when to stop. It's the "creeper" highs that you generally need to be cautious of.  

• Consume a lot of liquids

  When smoking, the dryness is not limited to your eyes and your mouth. You may be dehydrated when you awake. Make an effort to drink some liquids right away.

• Try to eat some food

  In general, you'll want something gentle on your stomach. Though marijuana is used to combat nausea, it can actually cause nausea in large quantities - - so no spicy food! You will likely find that your nausea goes away after you've eaten.

• Avoid the THC

  Your first impulse may be to treat the effects of the weed hangover with more weed. After all, a marijuana hangover causes things such as headaches, nausea -- all things that marijuana is used to combat, but that will only increase the amount of THC in your system. Hold off for 24 hours or so before consuming again.

• Get active

  Exercising or simply going for a walk will often make you feel much better. A good shower afterwards is an additional way to help wake up and reinvigorate your system.

• Sleep it off

  Sometimes your body just needs some time to reset. Sleeping for a few hours will give you time to recover without having to think about the hangover!

The best way to avoid a pot hangover is to consume slowly and in moderation. Every time you smoke or consume an edible, you should wait the appropriate amount of time for it to take effect. You should also be conscious of the amount of THC in edibles and should not take above the recommended dosage until you are certain of the appropriate dosing amount for you.

The most important thing to remember is that THC hangovers aren't dangerous and an "overdose" of THC will always resolve itself with time. There are no known lasting effects to an overdose of weed. The good thing is, many people will never experience a marijuana hangover, even if they do consume marijuana heavily or regularly.

Photo Credit: (license)